Editor's note: A version of this story originally ran on May 18. The story has been updated ahead of Notre Dame's berth in the national title game.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — On the night of Oct. 7, Wesleyan wide receiver Colby Geddis traveled back from a game in Maine with his phone on life support, attempting to track the Notre Dame-Louisville contest.
Jordan Faison, Geddis' close friend and longtime teammate in both football and lacrosse, was set to make his football debut for Notre Dame. Faison had come to college as a top-50 lacrosse recruit and walked on to the football team as a wide receiver.
Geddis' phone had only enough juice to allow him to refresh the statistics.
«When I saw him touch the field, I'm like, 'Holy s---, this kid is playing D-I football,'» Geddis said. «It's one of the coolest things I've ever seen.»
Faison has continued to impress his friends, family and Fighting Irish fans, spending the winter and spring successfully juggling two sports that, at Notre Dame, carry the highest of expectations. The true freshman scored Notre Dame's first goal of the lacrosse season Feb. 14, 38 seconds into the opener against Cleveland State, and is a starting midfielder for an Irish team that continues its quest to repeat as national champions when it faces Maryland in the NCAA tournament title game on Monday (1 p.m. ET, ESPN). Faison ranks fifth on the team in both goals (21) and points (29). He scored three times against Maryland in a game earlier this season.
When Notre Dame began spring football practice March 22, Faison was around as much as he could be, avoiding contact to preserve his body for lacrosse, while still learning new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock's scheme.
Faison came to Notre Dame primarily for
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